Organic essential oil - Patchouli

Latin name: Pogostemon Cablin

Part of the plant used: dried leaves

Source : India

Extraction method: steam distillation

Organic patchouli essential oil is extracted from the Pogostemon hairy plant, a member of the mint family, and has a rich, sweet, and spicy musky scent. The plant is native to Malaysia and India, where it is known as 'puchaput'. The word patchouli is derived from the Tamil word 'pachchaiilai', which simply means 'green leaf'. Patchouli oil is extracted from the young leaves, which are dried and fermented before steam distillation. This oil improves in fragrance and potency with age. It is highly valued in skincare, especially for wound healing.

In Eastern countries, patchouli oil is used in potpourri and sachets placed among clothes for fragrance, as well as to repel bedbugs and other insects. The oil is said to have a balancing effect on emotions and create a loving atmosphere. When used in an oil burner, it is believed to relieve anxiety and depression. Added to bathwater, it is thought to help with skin and scalp problems, fungal infections, water retention, cellulite, and constipation. It has excellent tissue-regenerating properties, accelerates healing, and fights infections. Therefore, it is believed to help with acne, eczema, sores, ulcers, and athlete's foot.

It appears that patchouli was placed among Indian cashmere shawls before they were shipped to Victorian England to protect the merchandise from moths. Without this distinctive scent of dried patchouli leaves, the shawls could not be sold in England. In Europe and America, patchouli oil and incense were immensely popular in the 1960s and 70s among hippies, as the scent of patchouli masked body odor and the smell of burning cannabis. Patchouli was used as a hair conditioner for dreadlocks. In many Asian countries, patchouli is also used as an antidote for snakebites.